Tension feeler



April 21,' 1925.v 1,534,040

sns. roucHs'roNE TENSION FEELER Original Filed Sept. 2'7, 19.23 5sheetshsheet 1 Egal: I

5 E i E g 5y 2a .April 21, 1925.

S. G. TOUCHSTONE TENSION FEELER Origal Filed Sept. 27. 1925 3Sheets-Sheet 2 1 3g s? w v i T i o w. gg @l un n N n S n@ o INVENTOR N.Slamalll'aucizslone njueesss A *D Q ATTORNEY April 21, 1925.

- 1,534,040 s. G. 'roucHsToNE TENSIQN FEELER INVENTOR Original FiledSept. 27, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 31' Patented ltpr. 21, 1925.

UNIT STATE SOLOMON GLBERT TOUCHSTONE, OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROIiINA;

TENSON yIEEELER.y

Application yfiled.,september 27,1923, Serial No. 665,079. RenewedOctober 25,1924.

To 0U er1/710m 'il' may concern.'

Be it known that I, Sonorron Gr. Tonens'roivn, Va citizen ort the UnitedStates, resid ing atColumbia, in the count-y of Richland and State oiSouth Carolina, have invented y a new anduseful Tension Feeler, ot'which the vfollowing. is aspeciiication.

This invention relates .to a tension feele which is adapted'te be usedinfoonnection Witlr4 slubbers, intermediates, Speeders, or rovingmachines and the` like.

InA the operation. `ot this class ot `inacliinc, it sometimes happens`that ,the contact e gears orl changing, device get out or' order, orthrough atmospheric changes, or, through the .tampering with the.tensioning device by unskilled help, the ends or sliver become tighterthan desired, resulting in' uneven or Weak roving,r thereby causing,uneven or Weak yarn to be produced.

The yprincipal object oi' kthe present invention is yto provide meanswhereby thisundesirable result is prevented., and in the specific formIherein disclosed .the invention includes means which automaticallyshifts the shipper rodV Whenever the tension be.- eomes tight, and stopsand locks .the machine, so that it is impossible tov operate the same`until it has been properly adjusted.

The structure of the invention, and. the operation thereof,` inrconnection with textilemachinery will be more particularly described inconnection with the, accompanying' drawings,which illust ate theinvention in its preferred form.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the rearpartota,rovinginaehine, showing the third samson in elevation. l

Figure. 2l is a perspective view oiz the feeler deiice.

Figure v3 is a rear elevation of themachine.`

Figure @is a. plan view thereof'.

Figure 5 is a `'front elevation of themachine iny operative position.

Figure 6 is a similar view, with` parts locked in inoperativeposition.

Figure 7 is a detail View oi' the latch and lockingmechanism istruction, the roll beamotl which isv indicated by the numeral 10, andthe second and.` third samsonsby the numerals 11 and 12,.re` speetively.1l are arried by shaits 15 and 16 suitablyy `iournaled in the frame otthe machine, and are connected by a belt 17. embraced by a fork `18carried by the-end ot the longitudinally travelling. raek19, so

that as the rack is reciprocated, the. beltis.

caused to travel longitudinally of the cones to vary thespeedot thespindle. The cone 13 is driven by any suitable means, as by the gearing20, while the shaft 16 is rocked in the usual manner by the gearing 21.Pinions 22 secured to the shaft 16l mesh with vertical litter racks 23Vto reciprocate vertically the iramed, which carries the bolster rail.These racks 23 are suitably mounted in guides formed in the. samsons, asindicated at 25, Figure 1, and the traine 2etris counterbalanced byWeights 26 attached to chains 27, which pass over sheaves 28 journaledon the` samsons, and are secured at their opposite ends, as indicated at29.

A shipper rod` 30, Figures 3, 4 and 6,. is mounted to slide in one ormore` guidesi secured Vto the frame of the machine, and is 1 Top andbottoincones 13 andV This belt is.

adapted to be moved longitudinally to .Y

throw the machine into or out of operation.,

Secured to the rod 30 is a stop ortappet 3Q;

adapted to be engaged by the` upwardly extending arm of al swing lever33,.\vhich is fulcrumed on a stud 34 projecting from. a.

bracket 35, which islsccured to the beam. 10.. The lever has a laterallyextendingarni 36 to which is adjustably secured a weight il?, which is.suiicient to swing the lever 33 and the shipper rod 30 longitudinally,vand rens, der the machine inoperative. The lever,

however, is normally held with the arm l362,

raised by means of a latch 38 -pivotedto 'the lower end ot the lever,and `having a notched',

end 39 adapted to project through and `engage a` stop plate ai) securedto the Samson 12. A tappet or knock-oit' 41 is, however,` secured to therack bar 19, and when the rack bar reaches the end of 'its --1novement,engages the inclined portion 420i the latchv and raises the same topermit the arm 36 ot the lever to swing,downwardly, and to etfeetanautomatic stopping-ot' the machine.-

ll'ieansare also providedto shift the shipperrod in case the traine 21passes beyond its proper limit ot' n'iovement tor any reason.

To this end a vertical knock-off rod 43 is slidably mounted on bearings44 on the Sam son l2, and is provided with an adjustable .linger 45disposed so as to be engageable by a lifter catch or finger 46 securedto the lower end of the rack bar 23, when the latter reaches the upwardend of its movement. This raises the rod 43, which has secured 'to itsupper end a bunter 47 adapted to engage the end of the latch bar 38, andrelease the same from the plate 40. The rod 43 also carries two spacedlugs 48, between which projects a dog 49 pivoted at 50 on the samson andbearing a weight 5l on the opposite side of its pivot7 so as to supportthe rod 43 as the frame 24 descends.

ln the type of machine herein described, the shaft l5 is customarilyprovided with a bevelled gear 52 meshing with a bevelled ship gear 53carried at the upper end of a vertical contact shaft 54, which isjournaled in bracket-s secured to the samson 1l, and is adapted tooperate the reversing gear. This shaft 54 carries contact dogs 56, whichengage the builder 57 as the frame is raised or lowered. The buildershaft 58 is rotated step by step by the gearing 59. A pinion 6() securedto the shaft 54, meshes with a. gear 6l on a vertical stud shaft 62carried by an arm 63, which is fulcrumed on the shaft 54, and the studshaft carries at its upper end a contact gear 64, which is adapted tomesh with one of the change gears 65. The change gears are carried by asleeve 68, which is keyed to a shaft 66 having a pinion 67 operativelyconnected with the rack bar 19. The sleeve 68 may be movedlongitudinally on the shaft 66 to adjust the change gears through themedium of a manually operated pinion 69 in mesh with annular teeth 70 onthe shaft. rlhe gears 65 may be counterbalanced by a weight 7l. rlheshaft (il may be provided with a hand wheel 74, or other suitable means,for returning the one rack bar to its initial position.

ln the normal operation of the'inachine, the latch 38 is raised todisengage the notched end 39 from the plate 40 by the knock-off 4l, sothat the shipper rod is shifted only when the cone rack bar 19 reachesthe end of its movement.

By means of my invention, however, means are provided for releasing thelatch to permit the movement of the shipper rod whenever the tension ofthe sliver becomes greater than that for which the machine is set,thereby making further operation of the machine impossible until thetension is adjusted, and consequently making it impossible to produce aninferior, uneven yarn.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a feeler bar 75, which issupported transversely of the machine, and over which the sliver 76 isdrawn in its passage from the rollers 77 to the nose of the flier. rlhefeeler bar is supported at the end of an angular rod 78, which issupported at its other end by being screwed into a bearing 79, journaledon a stud 80, projecting laterally from a bracket 81 secured to the rollbeam 19. Screwed into the opposite side of the bearing 79 is the upperend of a rod 82, the lower end of which is turned laterally, as at 83,and provided with a loop 84. This loop receives the upper end of atrigger 85 intermediately pivoted, as at 86, to the dog 49, and having adownwardly projecting sharpened end 87 adapted under certain conditionsto engage the notch 88 formed on the upper side of thelifting linger 46.The feeler bar 75 is held normally in engagement with the sliver 7 6 byan adjustable counter-balance 89, which is carried by a rod 90projecting laterally from the bearing 79. As long as the tension isnormal, therefore, the counterbalance 89 will hold the loop 84 away fromthe upper end of the trigger 85, so that the latter will maintain theposition shown in dotted lines in Figure l. Then the tension becomes toogreat however, the rod 78 and bearing 7 9 will be swung to the right, orin l a. clockwise direction in opposition to the counterbalance 89, andthe trigger 85 will be rocked to the position shown in full lines inFigure l, so that the lower end 87 will be positioned above the notch88, and the initial upper movement of the frame 24 will move the dog 48upwardly, raising the knock-off rod 43 and causing the bunter 47 toraise the latch 38 and release the shipper rod.

It will also be noted that the bunter 47 is provided with a convex upperface 91 on which the latch is supported, and a finger or lug 92projecting upwardly from the face 91 engages the notch 39 in the end ofthe latch, when the shipper rod is moved to throw the machine out ofoperation, and

consequently locks the shifting device, so that the frame can not againbe put in inotiou until the trigger 85 is 'released from the notch 88 inthe linger 46.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided adevice which can readily be applied to the usual knock-oft' mechanism ofa roving machine, and which, whenever the machine gets out of order, orthe tension becomes tighter than it should be by reason of atmosphericchanges, or from other causes will automatically stop the operation ofthe machine at the beginning of the next upward stroke of the carriage.The locking device is also an improvement over the original knock-olfmechanism, since the latter is not designed for locking the machine, butis only used to knock-olf the frame when ready for dolfing. lilith thepresent invention, not only is the machine stopped, but it` isauton'iatically locked so that it will be necessary for the operator tocall a mechanic to adjust the maloo merely. for the :purpose ofillustration,and: that the same isadaptedto beapplied to.

any similar machine usedlin the textile art. It Will also be understoodthatthe invention 1s not necessarily limited` to the precise structuresho-wn and described, but that. modifications may be made with respectto.

size, shape and other details of the device Without departing from thesalient features ofthe invention as expressed: in the ap-` pendedclaims.

What is.-claimed is.:

l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a shipperrod, an arm movable to shift the same, a latch normally holding said armagainst movement, means normally in contact with the sliver, andoperable by abnormal tension thereof to release said latch.

Q. In a machine of the class described, a stationary frame, a verticalreciprocating frame mounted thereon, a shipper rod, an arm movable toshift the same, a latch normally holding said arm against movement, afeeler pivotally supported on the stationary frame and normally incontact With the sliver, a trigger movable by the feeler into the pathof movement of said reciprocating frame when the sliver is underabnormal tension, and means operable by said trigger when raised by thereciprocating frame to release said latch.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of alongitudinally movable shipper rod, an arm movable to shift the same, alatch normally holding said arm against movement, means normally incontact with the sliver and operable by abnormal tension thereof torelease said latch to permit the shifting of the shipper rod, and meansfor automatically locking said mechanism after said rod is shifted toprevent starting the machine again until it has been adjusted.

et. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a stationaryframe, a bolster railframe mounted for vertical reciprocation thereon, ashipper rod mounted for longitudinal movement on the stationary frame,an arm movable to shift said shipper rod, a latch normally holding saidarm against movement, a feeler bar pivotally supported on the stationaryframe and normally in contact with the sliver, a trigger movable by thefeeler into the path of movement of said reciprocating frame when thesliver is under abnormal tension, means operable by the trigger torelease the latch upon the vlirst upward movement of the reciprocatoryframe after the trigger has been rocked, Wherebytoi permitl the shifting:ofthe shippen rod, and "i means for;A automatically locking saidmechanism after theshipper rod isfshifted to, prevent startingthe-machine `againuntil it has been adjusted.

5. In a machine of the class describedl.I the combination offrashipperrod, a latch eontrollingthe same, a vertically movable knock-oftrod, a. Weighted dog normally supporting the rod inicontactfuiththeglatch, and means normally. in Contact with. the sliver and operableby abnormal tension thereof to raise, the-knock-ofrn rod and therebyrelease the latchto permit the shipper rod to be,.sh,ifted.

6,.,v In a machine of the class described,l the combinationof istationary-` yframe, a vertically reciprocable frame mounted thereon, aKknock-oft rod carried by the stationary frame, a counterbalanced feelerbar pivotally supported on the stationary frame in contact With thesliver, a pivoted trigger rockable, by the movement of the feeler bar,into the path of a portion of the reciprocatory frame so as to be raisedby the tirst upward movement thereof, and means operated by the upwardmovement of the trigger to actuate the knock-off rod,

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a stationaryframe, a bolster rail frame reciprocably mounted thereon, a feeler barrod intermediately pivoted on the stationary frame, a feeler bar carriedby one end of the rod and normally in contact with the sliver, aknock-off rod carried by the" stationary frame, a pivoted dog normallysupporting the knock-olf rod, a trigger intermediately pivoted to thedog with its upper end in the path of the feeler bar rod, Whereby anabnormal pressure on the feeler bar rocks the trigger, and a fingerprojecting laterally from the reciprocatory frame and engageable withthe lower end of the trigger when the latter is rocked, so as to raisesaid trigger upon the next upward movement of the reciprocatory frameand activate the knock-ott rod.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a stationaryframe, a vertically reciprocable frame mounted thereon, a knock-ofi' rodcarried by the stationary frame, a counter-balanced feeler bar pivotallysupported on the stationary frame and normally in contact With thesliver, a pivoted trigger reciprocable by the movement of the feelerbar, a finger projecting laterally from the reciprocatory frame andhaving a recess for receiving the lower end of the trigger upon thefirst upward movement of said frame after the trigger has been rocked,so

to actuate the knock-off rod.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a stationaryframe, a vertieally recijirocatory frame, a shipper rod, a latchcontrolling the same and having a llt) notch normally engaged with apart of the stationary frame, a knock-oitl rod carried by thc stationaryframe, means normally in contact With the sliver and operable byabnormal tension thereof to raise said knock-off rod and thereby raisethe latch and release the shipper rod, and an upwardly projecting lng 0nthe knock-oit rod engageable with the notch in the latch to lock theshipper rod after it has' been shifted.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a stationaryframe, a Vertically reciprocatory frame mounted thereon, a shipper rod,a latch controlling the same and having a notch normally engaged With apart of the stationary frame, a knock-0HJ rod carried by the stationaryframe, a counterbalanced feeler bar pivotally supported on thestationary frame in contact with the sliver, a pivoted trigger rockable,by the movement of the feeler bar, into the path of a portion of thereciprocatory frame so as to be raised by the rst upward movementthereof, means operated by the upward movement of the trigger to raisethe knockott rod and thereby raise the latch and release the shipperrod, and an upwardly projecting lug on the knock-off rod engageable withthe notch in the latch to lock the shipper rod after it has beenshifted.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own7 I have hereto affixedmy signature.

i SOLOMON GILBERT TOUCHSTONE.

